Mono ski



Oct. 27, 1964 J. MARCHAND 3,154,312

MONO SKI Filed May 11, 1961 INVENTOR. JACQUES MAIZCHAND BY 24 23 C; 25 H/S A7 RNEY United States Patent 3,154,312 MGNO SKI Jacques M archand, Newark, N.J., assignor to Marco Systems, Inc, Newark, Ni, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 11, 1961, Ser. No. 138,537 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-1113) This invention relates to snow skis, and especially to a single ski, which I call a monoski, adapted to support both feet of a skier and including means for securing both feet or boots of the skier directly over the ski and alongside each other.

The desirability of a single ski on which to ride is based on the greater challenge thereby offered to skiers, in that more skill is required than by using two skis, and also on its greater safety in that it avoids twisting a leg when the skier falls, which often happens when using two skis. If the skier on the monoski falls, the legs will both turn with the body and there will be no injurious twisting of the legs.

The monoski of my invention, which incidentally is used on sloping ground, has no means, such as a strap, for example, as an aid in supporting the skier, who may be in erect or squatted position, so that the skier relies on his body movements to control the ski. With the herein disclosed ski, sharp turns may be made and the ski braked to be brought to a stop without assisting accessories. To provide a ski having the foregoing advantages, I have found that it is necessary to secure a pair of boot fasteners to the ski proper so that they are directly over the ski and also alongside each other, and cannot be one in front of the other, or extend beyond the sides of the ski, at least not substantially.

The drawings illustrate the invention, and in these:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a ski, including means for securing the boots thereto;

FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively are plan and side views of the fore part of boot-holding means; and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side and plan views of of the boot-holding means.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description, the numeral designates the ski proper. The length is that of a conventional or usual single ski, but the width is greater. The width should not be substantially less than that of the two boots of the skier, it being important that the outer edges of the soles of the boots do not extend much beyond the sides of the ski, otherwise, in turning, the soles will interfere with the edge of the ski biting the rear part 3,154,312 iatented Oct. 27, 1964 "ice into the snow. Spaced angle irons 12 may be secured transversely to the ski as reinforcements against splitting.

Adjacent and similar boot binders, disposed side by side, are secured to, and are directly over the middle portion of the ski, which arrangement of the binders is essential to attain the stated advantages of the present ski. Each binder includes a toe-holding part (FIGS. 2 and 3), and a heel-holding part (FIGS. 4 and 5). The toe holding part is shown as a curved plate 15 which, at its fore portion has supporting sides and a fastening flange 16. The front marginal part of the boot sole is placed under the rear part of said plate, which is curved at its free end to fit the toe of the boot, as in FIG. 2. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the heel-holding part of the binder as comprising the following parts. A plate 20 may be moved onto and from the rear marginal or projecting portion of the boot heel, by manual movement of a lever 21. The lever is pivoted at its sides, as at 23, to vertical parallel plates 24 which are secured to the ski. Plate 26 is pivoted, at its sides, as at 25, to the vertical plates 24. A pair of parallel links 27 are pivoted at their rear ends to lever 21, as at 23, and at their forward ends to plate 20, as at 29. Manipulation of lever 21 therefore effects a locking and unlocking of the boot heel to the ski.

What is claimed is:

A device of the character described, consisting of, as sufficient components for snow skiing, a snow ski of conventional length and having a width substantially equal to the width of a pair of skiers boots, and a pair of foot fasteners closely adjacent to each other and disposed side by side, one on each side of the longitudinal center line of the ski, and secured directly to and on the ski, within the sides of the latter, said boot fasteners adapted to fasten the heels and the toes of the skiers boots firmly to the ski, so that the skier can lean substantially forward, backward and sidewise to maintain his balance without the use of accessory supporting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,391,312 Gebhardt Sept. 20, 1921 2,392,098 Philippar Jan. 1, 1946 2,610,861 Campbell Sept. 16, 1952 2,762,063 Quinn Sept. 11, 1956 2,841,805 Roudenbush July 8, 1958 2,984,497 Hagen May 16, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 929,149 France June 30, 1947 

